An old friend
by AniZH
Summary: The gang gets to meet an old friend of Beck's, who offers a slightly different perpective on Beck and his relationship with Jade than they are used to. [goes with my one shot Bored]


Hello to this one shot that has been in the making for... half a year. Gosh.  
The user Dare to be Something More wrote in a review to my one shot Bored (link here on fanfiction: /s/12239068/1/Bored) that I should write more with Tyler in it, who is the one telling that one shot and is an old friend of Beck's. This is me trying to do that. Thanks for the suggestion! And I hope it's somewhat close to what you imagined. :)  
I think you can generally read this one shot without having read Bored, but... it makes more sense if you read that beforehand (and it's not too long).  
Have fun reading! :)

* * *

Jade doesn't know why Tyler actually think she's good for Beck.

Beck is a nice guy and makes friends all around. He barely ever invites anyone into his RV, but as long as there's no girl sitting there, Jade also doesn't care much. He has also told her that he would have an old friend over this evening, but she has more serious issues, as the shower at her home broke that day and the stupid repair company said they wouldn't be able to make it anymore today. She's annoyed and angry and just wants to take a shower, when she walks into Beck's RV. It's not like she cares much about this guy sitting with Beck. Beck may make friends all around ('friend' as a rather loose term); she desn't and also doesn't want to.

She barely acknowledges him at all, only says like... two sentences to him or something, after she has been in the shower and is finally a little relaxed again. Then, she already lies down on Beck's bed, where she will stay the night, and turns on the TV to watch a movie, instead of listening to them reminisce any longer.

Tyler leaves only shortly after and Beck stays outside with him for a while, only to tell her afterwards that Tyler has taken the time to tell him that Jade does him good.

Jade really doesn't get it, but... well... Tyler also hasn't really met her. They do look good together, she knows that. He can't really know her character. Nobody, who's close to Beck, meets her and thinks she is good for him. Everyone is shocked at first, while everyone close to her is immediately happy meeting Beck. Beck doesn't get it, she does. Everyone would assume her to be together with a guy that will destroy her, let herself be dragged down. While everyone is afraid, she will do exactly that to Beck.

But Tyler is different for some reason. She meets him twice more and watches him more, when they talk. She does start talking to him, though not careful with what she says, because she never is. She just says what she thinks and won't stop that ever for anyone or any reason, especially just to be liked.

She realizes that Tyler hasn't gotten a problem with what she says though. Almost like Beck. It's weird and at the same time... relaxing. He never seems to wonder once why Beck is in love with her, which everyone else probably has at least once. As if he knows and understands why Beck loves Jade – which nobody does.

It makes her relax in the sense that she doesn't feel like she will eventually need to defend her relationship, when she's around him.

.

oOoOo

.

Tori's parents have allowed her a big party before graduation at their house. So, she invites a lot of friends and classmates, has emptied big parts of the living room and has also made room on the patio. Naturally, she also has set up a stage for everyone to be able to sing and perform.

Beck and Jade come relatively late and bring someone, Tori hasn't seen before. She goes up to greet them, quickly joined by Cat, who's excited to finally see Jade.

Greetings are shared, before Beck makes a gesture to the stranger: "This is Tyler. I hope it's okay I brought him. We are old friends and have hung out a little again lately. I thought this would be a nice opportunity to introduce you guys."

"Sure, the more the merrier," Tori says, smiling at Tyler. "Why haven't we met you before?"

Tyler answers: "Oh, we were friends in elementary and middle school and then got out of touch."

"We ran into each other at the grocery store just a few months ago," Beck explains.

"Do you also sing?" Cat asks happily, as if that was an important criteria.

Tyler looks amused. "Not even karaoke."

Promptly, Jade smirks: "You should sing, then. That would probably be fun." With pretty much everyone else here being from Hollywood Arts and being able to sing at least decently. (Except Trina, who is also here.)

Just like Jade to say that, but Tyler also looks amused at that: "No, and you won't be able to make me."

"We'll see about that," Jade says casually and Tori is pretty sure, she will find a way somehow for Tyler to possibly humiliate himself in front of everyone by singing.

But for now, Cat turns to her: "We definitely have to sing something together. Come with me, so we can pick."

Jade rolls her eyes, but then shares a short kiss with Beck and does follow Cat.

.

.

Tori learns that Tyler likes parties in general and was pretty curious about Beck's new friends, which is why he, according to himself, kind of invited himself along.

It's a long while later, when Tori talks to Tyler again, together with Andre, Robbie and Cat.

Robbie just now asks Tyler: "So, you have known Beck since when?"

"Elementary school," Tyler answers. "He moved here to LA for second grade."

"Any embarrassing story of him as a child?" Andre asks interested.

Tyler laughs lightly. "Of Beck? No. Do you have any?"

"Not really," Andre admits with a grin. Obviously, Beck doesn't embarrass himself. And apparently hasn't even as a child. Has never called the teacher Mommy or spilled his milk for lunch all over himself or anything.

"Was he always that... calm?" Tori asks interested. She can't even imagine Beck as a child. It's so weird that neither of them have known him back then. She of course only got to Hollywood Arts later, but also Andre, Robbie, Cat and Jade have only known him since he's fourteen.

"He was. Differently, but yeah," Tyler answers. That's so weird.

For a moment, it's silent and they all take a sip from their drinks. Tori sees that Cat is about to say something totally else in a second, but that's when Tyler also starts speaking again: "I can tell you a slightly creepy story about him."

"Sure," Andre says and Robbie agrees: "Go for it."

That does sound like fun, a creepy story. Tyler already gets into telling it: "I remembered earlier when you fell" – he means Robbie, who has tripped earlier over pretty much nothing – "and Beck directly asked if you're okay. It reminded me of when we were about eight and our friend Will fell from the monkey bars. He also directly asked if everything was okay, and we of course called a teacher and the ambulance even had to come. We talked after that and wondered if he might have broken his arm. I distinctively remember Beck quietly and thoughtfully telling me after some time that it would be 'cool' if Will was seriously injured."

"What?" Robbie asks confused.

Tori also can't believe that. That doesn't sound like Beck at all. Thinking it would be good if a friend would be injured?

"Don't get me wrong," Tyler quickly continues. "He didn't really wish for it. But he let his mind wander to what could happen. Like if he would get one of those robot arms if his arm would've needed to get amputated or something."

"What? Our Beck?" Andre asks and Robbie also utters: "Why?"

Tori has to say: "That sounds more like Jade." Because that totally would be something, she would say. Or she would hope for lots of blood or something.

Tyler shrugs. "I guess. He does like all the things she says though, doesn't he?"

Tori can't imagine Tyler knowing Jade all that well. Even as an old friend of Beck's... why should Jade spend time with him at all?

But Cat nods: "He does."

Yes, Beck does like even the creepiest stuff Jade says. He often smiles when she gets going about something.

Andre also admits: "He's also creepy sometimes. He is the one always writing the horror scripts."

Tori has never thought about that. But it's true that Beck barely writes anything but horror. And he does a brilliant job with it.

"But that's still... He was only eight," she slowly says.

Tyler shrugs again: "As I said: I don't think he truly wished for it. He was just bored and that's would've been something different. He was bored all the time back then."

"Really?" Andre asks surprised. Tori has also never seen Beck bored. Not that she can remember.

"Yeah," Tyler answers. "It wasn't something everyone easily saw, but he was totally bored all the time. You probably can't imagine. I personally don't think he has ever been bored since he has known Jade."

"Jade?" Tori asks. What has Jade got to do with it?

Tyler nods. "I'm not sure you can understand how easy and honest his smile nowadays comes. It wasn't like that when we were in elementary or middle school. He wasn't just calm back then. He mainly didn't care all that much about anything and was so passive and... I don't know. He's different nowadays and when I see him together with Jade, I totally get it."

Tori, like the others, immediately searches for Beck and Jade with their eyes. As if they then suddenly could see what Tyler does.

Jade sits on one of the stools at the kitchen counter, which Tori has left. Beck stands in front of her, their arms are wrapped around each other and though the room is still full of people, it seems to be just the two of them for themselves. They aren't making out, but seem to be talking.

Is it true that Beck has been bored before Jade? That his life has bored him, until Jade has come into it? He definitely is always totally drawn to her, when Tori stops and thinks about it.

Beck and Jade must notice them staring, at least, they suddenly both return the looks, Beck seems confused, Jade a little annoyed. They exchange a look among themselves, then break apart, Jade stands up, Beck puts his arm around her and they come over.

"What are you guys talking about?" Beck asks.

Tori doesn't know what to say. They can't tell him that Tyler thinks Jade is the thing making his life interesting, right?

Andre easily answers: "Tyler just told us you told him you hoped your friend..." He looks to Tyler checking, so he quickly puts the name in: "Will." Andre continues: "That he would be seriously injured when you were about eight?"

Jade raises her eyebrows, turning to Beck, who notices and explains to her, immediately understanding what they are referring to: "He fell from the monkey bars and needed to go to the hospital and I just said that... it would be interesting if there would be something more going on."

Jade smirks. "You are such a psychopath." She doesn't seem surprised though, unlike the others have been. She now even draws him into a kiss, as Beck also smiles about her reaction.

Only then, he asks Tyler: "Why did you tell them?"

Tyler shrugs: "They asked me for an embarrassing stoy of you and as I don't know one, I decided on a creepy one."

"And that's the best you were able to do?" Jade asks and... whoa. Does that mean she has creepier stories of him?

"Sh," Beck already makes, but more amused than anything else, even grinning.

She smirks again and Andre speaks up: "Now, I'm listening."

Tori is definitely also interested. Jade says though: "You won't hear anything." She looks back to Tyler: "You might, in exchange for another creepy child story of him." She is a sucker for creepy stories with children, loves those scray movies with children in them as well.

Tyler also grins: "I'll think about it."

.

oOoOo

.

There is a garden party in October, which Beck invites them to. One of his old friends is throwing it. Apparently, he hasn't seen him since middle school but Tyler is still friends with him and told Beck and Jade to come and also invite their other friends along. That old friend's parents have a big garden where they celebrate and there are a lot of people there. Obviously, a lot of people brought other friends, so Beck also doesn't know most of the people there.

But they all have a good time. They all are extroverts of sorts, so it's not a problem to get in touch with the different people there.

At some point, Tori is sitting with Andre and Tyler though on some of the chairs spread all over the garden. They are talking about college, when suddenly, three other of Beck's old friends approach them. Tori has met them earlier and is pretty sure, it's Thomas, Marcos and Luke.

They are all pulling up chairs and it's Thomas who says to Tyler, while sitting down: "So, Beck. What happened to him?"

Tyler immediately shows the brightest smile, as if he's extremely happy that his old friends have noticed something as well: "Right?"

"It's really awesome to see," Luke says and Marcos nods: "I just hope Jade will never get bored of him."

Tori and Andre share a confused look, while Tyler already says: "As far as I gather she actually likes him being so calm and everything. Crazy, right?"

Marcos obviously agrees: "Yeah. Good for him though."

They all turn around to look somewhere. Tori follows their eyes with her own and notices Jade and Beck talking to Robbie and some other guy, Tori doesn't know.

Thomas meanwhile says: "I always thought he would end up with some random nice girl that caters to his every whim and is all over him all the time."

"I'm glad he found her instead," Luke decides and... that's just so damn weird.

Tori doesn't think Beck has settled in any way or whatever, but out of the two of them, she definitely would say Jade is the lucky one that Beck fell for her, not the other way around. But Beck's old friends seem to be actually happy for Beck and almost surprised that Jade went for him, with the way they hope that Jade won't get bored of him.

Tyler now also speaks up again: "Yeah, someone challenging him, not taking everything he says, letting him... get angry. That's definitely worth a lot."

Promptly, Marcos puts in: "The fact that she even can get him angry like earlier..." They all were able to witness a fight between Beck and Jade earlier. Not a big one, but many guests probably heard both of them getting very angry. They quickly resolved it this time though and made out a few minutes later. "I mean... I would've bet in middle school that he just weren't capable of feeling emotions like that."

"That's harsh," Thomas says, to which Tori has to agree. Why shouldn't Beck feel big emotions? Why shouldn't he be able to get angry?

Luke claims: "But true. He was so passive all the time. I've never before seen him as angry... or as happy before today."

The others nod which is so weird for Tori. She shares another look with Andre who also seems confused.

Tyler meanwhile seems amused as he asks his friends: "And have you noticed how whipped he is?"

"He's all over her at all times," Marcos agrees, just as amused.

Okay, Tori has to cut in: "What do you mean?"

They all look over to her and Andre, and Luke answers as if it was obvious: "If he's not looking, he's touching. As soon as she's around, he at least has part of his thoughts with her."

Tori has to look back to Beck and Jade and sees how Beck is partly standing behind Jade, has his arms wrapped around her while they talk to Robbie and the stranger.

She has never thought about it before, but... yes, Jade and Beck always seem to touch when they have the opportunity. And actually, it comes from Beck mostly. Yes, there are times where Jade grabs his hand or takes his arm to lie it around her shoulder or alike. But often, it's Beck who puts his arm around her himself, who plays with her hands, who has a hand in her back or on her hip or somewhere on her.

Thomas speaks up again: "And that after they apparently already have been a couple for years. He behaves like he just developed a crush on her."

Tyler grins and addresses his old friends: "I'm glad to finally hear that from someone else. I didn't tell you anything about Jade beforehand to just get your view on this. These guys only got to know Beck when he already was like that."

Which isn't really true for Andre, is it? He got to know Beck at the same time as Jade – when they all got into Hollywood Arts –, so he kind of got to know Beck without Jade. Andre doesn't even protest though.

Luke, Marcos and Thomas look at Andre and Tori like that's the most curious thing. "That's so weird," Marcos even says.

Suddenly, Luke wants to make sure of something though: "Don't think he wasn't a great guy before he knew Jade. He was. We were friends with him after all. But I think Jade..." He looks over to his old friend. "She made him care."

That's really strange to hear. Tori looks over to the couple again herself and just catches Jade laughing at something Robbie must have said and Beck watching her amused.

Well... Is that possible? Has Beck been this passive, bored and non-caring person, Tyler and their other old friends are describing? Until Jade came along?

Jade is a person with so many emotions, always in an up and down. Sure enough, she has enough to share. Does she share all that with Beck, who finally cares because of that, while Jade herself get soothed and calm through sharing?

Andre is the one who makes sure to say: "Well, he's also good for Jade." Becuase he undoubtedly is. They all know that.

"That's good to know," Luke earnestly says. "You know... It would be comforting if he not only needs her but she needs him, too. That way, it's balanced again."

Tori also has never thought about that. She's pretty sure Jade needs Beck. She hasn't thought that that only is fine if Beck needs her just as much. Because relationships are supposed to be balanced.

Tyler is the one who now asks interested: "How were they when their relationship was off?"

Well... Andre answers: "Different. I guess we saw glimpses of the Beck you knew during those."

Tori also can imagine that, now that she thinks about it. Beck was a little... off during his seperations from Jade. He wasn't a totally different person or something. But... There was something, Tori wasn't able to put her finger on. She understood that he was sad about the break-ups and guessed he was a little off because of that.

So, she nods in support of Andre, and Tyler says: "That's what I imagined. Though she was still around, so he probably never got bored again."

"Are they off a lot?" Marcos asks.

Andre answers again: "Not anymore, no. At the beginning of the relationship, yes."

Tori adds: "Then, they had a big seperation for a few months in our Junior year. And since then, they are going strong, so for one and a half years now."

Tyler meanwhile knows to tell: "And she's his first girlfriend."

Thomas nods: "I thought so."

Marcos seems amused, speaking to his old friends: "Do you remember the countless girls who wanted to be together with him in middle school?"

The friends obviously do remember. Luke promptly tells: "God, I remember when Rebecca came up to me and asked me how she looks or what she would need to change about her. I got so excited and thought she wanted to go out with me, but she was really only wondering what to do to appeal to Beck."

Okay, whoa. Tyler says: "She was a cute one. He didn't even went on a date with her, right?"

Luke easily answers: "Because of me and because he knew I liked her. I said he should go anyway. I realized even back then that it was just a small crush and it was fine and I would grow out of it. He shrugged and said he doesn't care about going on dates anyway."

That's weird for a boy in middle school to say, as soon as he started dating and obviously showed interest in it.

"And still, he went all the time when a girl tried, in hope something exciting would happen," Thomas says.

Marcos looks back to Beck and Jade: "And then, it obviously did."

The couple isn't talking to Robbie and the other guy anymore. Instead they are almost dancing to the music that is possible to hear all over the garden. And they are talking and laughing together and also kiss every now and then, totally wrapped up in each other.

Yeah, apparently something exciting did happen on his dates with Jade. Something exciting did happen to Beck in general: Jade.

Tyler now tells: "She also saw right through him apparently. I told her a few stories of him, you know, the creepy ones." Marcos, Thomas and Luke nod, know what he's talking about. Tori exchanges another glance with Andre. They still only have heard that one story from Tyler about his old friend Will – who isn't here. They don't know how else Beck has ever been creepy, except with his own horror scripts or his amusement whenever Jade says something weird.

Tyler continues: "Jade always just smirked and said she knew it. Beck then told me that she said on their very first date that she was sure he was an odd child."

Marcos smiles: "So, she saw him like he truly was and still fell in love with him. He's really a lucky guy."

Tori looks back to Beck and Jade. Jade is now turned with her back to them mostly, while they can see all of Beck's face. Beck is totally captured by her. She seems to tell him a story, at least he looks like he listens to her with rapt attention.

Tori truly has never seen Beck as the lucky one in their relationship. But when she hears his old friends talk about it... Apparently, Beck is just as lucky as Jade. Apparently, they both are what they needed in each their lives.

While everyone around Beck and Jade definitely see why Jade needs Beck, how he calms her down, how she needs his patience and... how she needs him making her play nice every now and then. The truth actually is that Beck needs Jade just as much for the excitement, to keep him up and alert and... to make him care.


End file.
